THERE is no other
section of Boston, of the same size,
which could have been destroyed, that would have been covered with the ruins of
so much wealth. Neither is there another section, containing sixty acres, the
destruction of which would not have rendered homeless many thousand people.
There were many, far too many, whose homes were consumed, and whose destitution
was most pitiful; but the number of dwellings seems comparatively few when we
consider the extent of the fire and the long list of buildings destroyed. Less
than a hundred dwellings, and less than a thousand people rendered homeless,
are reported in official schedules. But in many cases the loss was much greater
to those whose houses and homes were saved than it was to some whose dwellings
are now in ashes. Thousands could have spared the place where they ate and slept,
but could not live without help when the manufactories and warehouses in which
they were employed had gone out of existence. Hence the burning of one
clothing-establishment might cause more actual suffering than did the downfall
of all those dwelling-houses.

There were
destitution, hunger, and even nakedness. The working-men and working-girls did
need much assistance. Starvation and cold stood in their pathways, and bitter
poverty compelled them to ask for food and work.

Boston was proud.
She could not forget that here originated the charitable enterprises of
America. She remembered how the eyes of all were turned upon her again, as they
so often have been in civil and military strife, to see what she would do in
order that they might follow her example. Boston was rich. With her capital she
has covered the land with railroads, blocked the great rivers with factories,
and helped new States into a healthy, financial life. She had lost much; but
what was that compared with the riches which she bad left?

Appreciating to the
fullest extent the great kindness of such as desired to aid them, the people of
Boston did not feel as if they could conscientiously relinquish the privilege
of caring for their own poor; and while the fire was but half spent, and before
the people of other cities began to realize what an appalling disaster had
visited us, a large number of the most venerable and respectable citizens of
the burning city met in the City

Hall to provide
organized means of relief for such as were in need. Men there were, then, who,
with generous hearts and widespread palms, were eager to do, and to give to any
in poverty, yet who, as the fire rushed on, were themselves rendered penniless;
and the closing day saw poverty stalking in at their mansions in a garb as
horrid as ever it had exhibited to the lowest cottager.

But there were
thousands whose wealth was still untouched, and thousands who had lost much,
who were eager to give; and the good work went on. We have tried, with all the
means and all the time at our command, to make a record of their proceedings
for the perusal of future generations, which shall be a true exhibit of the men
and their labors.

At a meeting held
on Sunday, while the fire was still raging, the following General Relief
Committee was appointed: —

William Gaston,

William Claflin,

Henry Walker,

Josiah G. Abbott,

Samuel C. Cobb,

John B.
Schlessenger,

James Little,

Samuel D. Warren,

William Gray,

Otis Norcross,

Alexander H. Rice,

Edward S. Tobey,

Eben D. Jordan,

Josiah Quincy,

William L. Burt,

Avery Plummer,

James H. Beal,

George O.
Carpenter,

William B. Spooner,

Joseph M. Wightman,

George C. Richardson,

Rev. J. D. Fulton,

Robert Johnson,

F. W. Lincoln,

Thomas Russell,

Augustus Parker,

Henry L. Hallett,

George Lewis,

Gen. Cunningham.

J. Fred. Paul,

Hamilton A. Hill,

John H. Thorndike,

Martin
Brimmer,

Jerome
Jones,

James H. Freeland,

Edward
Sands,

Charles
H. Allen,

James
H. Danforth,

Patrick Donahoe,

H.
G. Crowell,

Joseph
H. Chadwick,

Henry
L. Pierce,

William Pope,

N. J. Bradlee,

Franklin Williams,

N.
B. Shurtleff,

Rev. William B. Wright,

Samuel
Hooper,

Edward
W. Kinsley,

Martin Griffin,

Nathan
Matthews,

Arthur
Cheney,

Percival L. Everett,

George
B. Faunce,

Samuel
H. Gookin,

Abram Firth,

Sebastian
B. Schlessenger,

Mr. William Gray
was elected chairman (than whom none greater or more noble ever drew breath),
Mr. Franklin Williams secretary, and Mr. Otis Norcross treasurer. All were men
distinguished as much by their good deeds as by their great ones.

A sub-committee to
“draw up a plan of action, and report the next day,” was composed of Mr. Gray,
Mr. Claflin, Mr. Norcross, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Crowell, and Mr.
Hallett.

On Monday, Nov. 11,
at a meeting of the General Committee, the following sub-committees were also
appointed: 1. To urge the General Government to enlarge the post-office site, —
William Gaston, William L. Burt, and Edward S. Tobey. 2. To urge our senators
and representatives to procure the passage of a law to remit the duties on
building-materials, — Josiah Quincy, Thomas Russell, James L. Little. 3. To ask
the governor to call a special session of the legislature, — Avery Plummer,
William Gray, Martin Brimmer, William B. Spooner, William Claflin, and Samuel
B. Spooner. 4. To call a public meeting of the citizens, — William Gaston,
Hamilton A. Hill, Augustus Parker, George O. Carpenter, Thomas Russell, and
Rev. J. D. Fulton.

The following
gentlemen were appointed a finance committee: William Gray, George C.
Richardson, Samuel C. Cobb, Avery Plummer, Martin Brimmer, and Otis Norcross,
ex officio.

The following
committee was appointed to secure work for, and aid, such women as might have
been deprived of employment by the fire: —

The committee of
seven, and the chairmen of the several permanent committees, were constituted
an executive committee; the permanent committees being, 1. Bureau of Relief; 2.
Employment for Women; 3. Employment for Men.

William Gray,William Claflin,Otis Norcross,Josiah G. Abbott,

George C.
Richardson,

Henry L. Hallett,

Henry G. Crowell,

Alexander II. Rice,

Mrs. William Claflin,

Samuel D. Warren.

A committee was
also appointed to prepare a list of gent] omen, comprising all interests and
trades, to circulate papers among the citizens to procure pecuniary aid and
relief: —

A committee,
consisting of Josiah G. Abbott, Benjamin R. Curtis, Sidney Bartlett, George T.
Bigelow, and B. F. Thomas, was appointed to confer with the city solicitor and
the other legal advisers of the city in reference to such acts as it may be
desirable to ask from the legislature of the State at the approaching extra
session.

Hon. Samuel Hooper,
Alexander H. Rice, and Thomas Russell, were appointed a committee to petition
the Secretary of the Navy for a larger appropriation for the Charlestown Navy
Yard, in order that employment might be given a larger number of destitute men.

The General
Committee appointed the following committee to aid men in procuring employment:
Samuel D. Warren, George O. Carpenter, Martin Griffin, William Endicott, jun.,
Abram Firth, J. D. Fulton, Samuel H. Gookin.

A committee of five
was appointed to organize a bureau of relief, with headquarters in the
Charity-Bureau building, Chardon Street. The committee consisted of Hon. A. H.
Rice, Hon. Frederick W. Lincoln, Mr. S. C. Cobb, Mr. H. L. Pierce, and Mr.
Joseph H. Chadwick.

We feel constrained
to insert here, just as it appeared in “The Boston Post,” a report of one of
the meetings of the Relief Committee; for it will bring more vividly to mind
the scene, the people, and the way assistance was offered, than any thing else
could do:

“Another meeting of the General Relief
Committee was held yesterday morning at City Hall; Hon. William Gray, the
chairman, presiding. Messrs. Shippen, Marcy, and Adams, of the Relief Committee
from Philadelphia, and the Mayor of Lowell, were present by invitation. The
chairman spoke of the aid which had been proffered from various cities, and
said, that, at the time their telegrams were received, immediate answers were
deemed necessary; and the mayor had formed a despatch, which was approved by
the entire committee, and sent to the Mayors of Indianapolis, Cincinnati,
Philadelphia, Chicago, Alleghany City, Providence, and the President of the
New-York Chamber of Commerce, that their assistance would be gratefully
received. At present, however, while he had no foolish pride against receiving
aid from other cities, he was of the opinion that Boston was able to relieve
all suffering and need; and it would be perhaps dishonorable to accept the
offers so freely made. He therefore offered a resolution, that while profoundly
grateful for the aid tendered, and with entire readiness and thanksgiving to
accept the same if circumstances render it necessary, it gives them unalloyed
pleasure to say, that, while the losses have been great, Providence has so
favored them, that the assistance so freely proffered will not be required.

“This was seconded
by Hon. Thomas Russell.

“Mr. Nathan
Matthews did not think they were prepared to send such a response. The
merchants could not afford to relieve the sufferers; and they would certainly
need help.

“Rev. William B.
Wright knew there were many young men and women who were in need of help; and
he thought there was an imperative demand for an immediate fund.

“Hon. Josiah Quincy
agreed that it was too early to refuse aid, and moved to lay the resolution on
the table.

“Mayor Gaston said
that common courtesy demanded a definite answer, and he hoped one would be
given. He thought that nearly every one failed to appreciate the magnitude of
the loss, not only of the wealthy, but of the poor. The charity of the city
bestowed through the usual channels would not be sought; nor would private
charity extend beyond a limited extent. The people who had suffered must be
sought out and assisted; and the question was, if they should interfere, and
refuse the aid proffered them. A certain degree of pride was commendable; but
in an emergency like the present, unless a fund could be guaranteed to meet the
wants of the sufferers, he did not think it right to reject those offers: they
should rather be gratefully accepted. These remarks were applauded, and the
resolution tabled.

“Mr. Matthews then
offered the following:—

“Resolved, That the
committee, in behalf of the citizens of Boston, return most sincere thanks to
their fellow-citizens in all parts of the Union forthe warm expressions of
sympathy which they have tendered at this time of calamity, and for the
friendly offers of pecuniary aid which they have made; and that these friendly
offers be, and they are hereby, gratefully accepted.’

“Mr. P. A. Collins
was not sure that employment would be so speedily furnished as some had hoped.
He thought the resolution should be tabled till it was known what was needed. A
motion to this effect was made by Col. Henry Walker.

“Mayor Gaston said
delay meant a defeat of the resolution. There were already a thousand persons
in the parish of Father Healey who were suffering from the fire.

“Rev. Robert Laird
Collier said the fifty thousand dollars appropriated by the Relief and Aid
Committee of Chicago could be returned; but the fifty thousand dollars raised
by the citizens in thirty minutes could not be so easily disposed of. When
spring-time came, it would be soon enough to refuse the offering, if it were
not needed.

“Mr. Shippen of
Philadelphia said, that, unless Boston accepted their aid, Philadelphia could
not receive their assistance in a similar emergency. He did not want kind
hearts repulsed by wet blankets, and hoped their aid would be accepted.

“Mr. William B.
Spooner said the gifts should be received with gratitude, and immediately
applied to the benefit of the sufferers.

“The resolution of
Mr. Matthews was then unanimously adopted with applause; and Father Healey was
added to the General Committee.

“Mr. Gray, the
chairman, said he had received from Mrs. Harrison Gray Otis five hundred
dollars; from New Bedford two thousand dollars; from Mr. Dana, of the firm of
Morgan Brothers, London, five thousand dollars; from S. A. Stetson, from the
surplus of the Odd Fellows’ Fund, a thousand dollars.

“Hon. E. S. Tobey
said the Boston Young Men’s Christian Association had ten thousand dollars on
hand; and Mr. Gray said the Boston Committee had seventy-five thousand dollars
yet remaining of the Chicago Relief Fund.

“A despatch from
the Secretary of the Navy was read, which said that further discharge from the
construction department of the Navy Yard would be delayed till further orders.

“A letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury was received, stating that there was no doubt that
Congress would afford relief to those importers who had stock in bond, and were
injured by the fire.”

Thus it will be
seen, that with wisdom, prudence, and Christian charity, great preparations
were made to succor the deserving poor. In this work the committee soon found
that their greatest task would be in providing for the destitute sewing-girls,
who could be counted by the thousand.

Miss Jennie
Collins, who has devoted her whole life to the welfare of the sewing-girls, and
who, although sometimes misguided, and at others too enthusiastic, has,
nevertheless, done a great work in her independent way, was a most earnest
worker in that time of trial; and the rooms she kept open as a public resort
for working-women were crowded with seekers after employment. Be it said to
their honor, they desired work, and not charity. The following statement was
published, as given by Miss Collins, the day after the fire, and while the
public mind was eagerly seeking after information:—

“According to her
estimate, about thirty thousand women and girls were thrown out of employment
by the great fire. of these, eighteen thousand are tailoresses; three thousand
more are employed making shoes, slippers, heels, shawl-straps, in
leather-stitching, and in all branches of the leather-trade. The remaining nine
thousand were employed in the various trades in the following list, from fifty
to six hundred in each: Waiters in restaurants, type-setting, making paper
boxes, making paper collars, saleswomen (there are only four hundred in the
entire city), cloak-making (no dress-makers or milliners were burned out),
hoop-skirt and corset making, furriers, rubber-work, press-feeders, drawing on
glass, book-keeping, rosette and necktie making, hair-work, jute and switches,
quilting, machine-sewing, finishing in tailor-shops, hat and cap making,
cigar-making, carpet and upholstering, pattern-making, bonnet-frame making,
worsted knitting, packing, glass and crockery, confectioners, toy-making,
doll-dressing (this trade employs two hundred girls sixteen weeks each year),
drugs and medicines, grave-clothing, theatrical costuming, designing, ladies’
furnishing, embroidering, hair-net work, artificial flowers, lithographing and
photographing, frame-gilding, ruffling and fluting, elastic-making, copying and
proof-reading, ladies’ hose-sewing, cloud and nubia making, bugle-trimming,
fringe-making, glove-making, tassel-making, crocheting, shirt-making,
bookbinding, umbrella and parasol making, preserving flowers, artificial limbs,
feather-curlers, straw-sewers, braid-winding, lace-making, carriage-trimming,
chair-seating, feather-duster making, needle-making, crape-folding, wax-work,
suspender-making, pickling, silver burnishing, and as errand-girls. Besides
these, there are about as many more sub-divisions of labor, the names of which
would be unintelligible to the uninitiated.

“It appears, then,
that while a few women are pining for their rights to the pulpit, the bar, the
scalpel, and the editorial paste-pot, thirty thousand women in Boston enjoy the
right to labor in a hundred and fifty trades, and many of them enjoy the right
to good wages.”

The Committee for
the Relief of Working-women had their headquarters under the Park-street
Church; and plenty of work they found to do. Under the leadership of Mrs.
William Claflin, they worked until they could not stand, talked until they were
hoarse, studied the circumstances, and computed wages and board, until their
heads were dizzy in mental exhaustion. Here, again, we must append another
report from the morning press of that week:

Money being the one
great need of women who are out of employment, it is gratifying to inform them
that there is enough in the relief fund to meet all exigencies. This money, as
we understand it, belongs to people who have been thrown out of employment. It
is in no sense a charity that the applicants accept in taking money from the
hands of the Relief Committee. They are simply acting in the place of their
former employers, and paying them money that is as much their own as if they
had worked for it with the needle, the sewing-machine, or any other implement
of industry. At present, the headquarters of relief for working-women are in
the basement of Park-street Church, where Mrs. William Claflin and her corps of
noble-hearted women and other co-workers are to be found to attend to all who
may call upon them. No girl or woman who has been thrown out of employment need
be ashamed to visit these headquarters. There is no red-tape there, or any
thing else to humble the pride of the most proud-spirited girl in Boston; and,
as a beautiful compliment to the girls who have already called and been
assisted, we add Mrs. Claflin’s own words: ‘It is a downright blessing to be
permitted to see the respectable and brave spirit manifested by these working
girls and women.’ Every caller is treated with the utmost politeness; and not
for one moment, even, is a girl allowed to feel that she is asking for any
thing, or that she is to receive any thing, other than what of right is her
own. The applicant simply tells where she has been employed, what wages she has
been able to earn, how many are dependent on her for support, and whether she boards,
or lives at home; and then, not being afraid that any respectable girl will
impose upon them, the relief comes, and they get their money as freely as from
the hands of their employers. What is needed is given; and, this gone, they can
come for more. Nearly two hundred girls were paid off yesterday and Tuesday
afternoon, each girl receiving from two to five dollars in money, according to
her needs; no girl being willing to receive more than she actually needs to get
along with.

“In this connection
Mrs. Claflin desired us to state, in order to relieve the labors of the
committee, and also to more readily assist the girls, that properly-vouched-for
board-bills, presented by landlords or landladies where girls out of employment
are stopping, will be paid by the committee. Women who have been accustomed to
board themselves in their rooms will receive checks for meals by applying for
them at these headquarters; and, as fast as their labors can be systematized,
other arrangements will be made to extend and simplify the work of providing
for these women. In addition to this, work will be furnished the girls as fast
as possible; and people who can give employment to any number of girls are
particularly requested to so inform this committee. Where it is practicable to
do so, girls are requested to bring certificates from their late employers,
stating that they are out of employment,” &c.

For
days and weeks after the great disaster, the various headquarters of relief
committees were crowded with anxious seekers after employment and temporary
relief. The doorways were sometimes so crowded, and the offices so full, that a
ticket-system had to be adopted, by which only a certain number could be
admitted at once. The overseers of the poor in the Chardon‑street building, the
Woman’s Relief Office at the Park-street Church, the Young Men’s Christian
Association, the Young Women’s Christian Association, the Young Men’s Christian
Union, City Hall, and “Boffin’s Bower,” heard tales of distress and of patient
toil at which Boston was astonished.

But the patience,
cheerfulness, and courage of the unfortunate ones was something marvellous. No
weeping anywhere after the first day, except for the dead. It was given the
citizens of the “Athens of America” once, at least, to

“Know how sublime a
thing it is

To suffer and be
strong.”

Firms,
corporations, men, women, children, all gave their share toward the funds for
relief; and the whole community was purified, refined, and ennobled by that
outburst of charity.

“The steel must pass
through fire ere it can yield

Fit instruments for
mighty hands to wield.”

The same spirit
which prompted the people to decline much proffered aid, also led them to
protest against any impolitic national movements in favor of individual Boston
which might be an injury to the whole country. So, when some benevolent, unwise
men advocated the issue of more currency to relieve the stringency of the
Boston money-market, Mr. Gray, on behalf of the committee, sent a protest to
the Secretary of the Treasury at Washington, saying that Boston was not so much
in need as to demand such an extraordinary proceeding. When Mr. Gray’s telegram
became known in Washington, the following despatch was sent to Boston, among
others, for the encouragement of the people: —

UNITED-STATES
COAST-SURVEY OFFICE,

WASHINGTON, Nov.
14, 1872.

MY DEAR GRAY, —
Your telegraphic despatch is a glorious one; and the way in which it is
received here makes the Boston man feel proud of his city. With what a noble
spirit Boston has met her calamity! Hereafter the faith in her will be tenfold
greater than before; and out of her ashes will arise a reputation which will
transcend in value even the immense loss which she has suffered.Your sincere friend,

BENJAMIN
PIERCE.

Hon. WILLIAM GRAY.

There are many
things which are of interest in connection with this subject which will be
found in a subsequent chapter: and all it behooves us to say in this place is,
that if there was any suffering in the city on account of the fire, and after
the first day, it was unknown to the committee; for every known one, great and
small, was attended with much care; and, while there were many impostors, all
were fed and clothed, in order that none should by any chance be missed who
deserved assistance. Out of the fire “came forth sweetness” and rest and
gratitude and love.